Five Sentara hospitals recognized by Hampton Roads Sanitation District

Four Sentara hospitals in Hampton Roads have received Gold-level awards for 2024 from the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) for achieving at least one full year of perfect compliance with their wastewater discharge permits. Another Sentara hospital received a Platinum Achievement award for six years of perfect compliance.

The Platinum Achievement award went to Sentara CarePlex Hospital in Hampton, which sends an average of 45,000 gallons of sewage into the HRSD system every day. Gold awards included Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital, Sentara Princess Anne Hospital in Virginia Beach, Sentara Obici Hospital in Suffolk and Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center.
 
“Sentara has a system goal to reduce the effects of our operations on the environment,” said Lisa Darger, Director of Sustainability for Sentara. “Full compliance with our discharge permits is an achievement we’re proud of, and we appreciate HRSD’s recognition of our efforts.”

Achieving perfect compliance is a challenge for hospitals due to the many potential sources of pollution that could enter their sewer systems, including regulated medical waste and waste medications. Hospitals educate their teams on the importance of proper disposal and not putting inappropriate substances down the drain.

“HRSD is thankful to all the award winners for their outstanding environmental stewardship,” said Angela Kilgore, Pretreatment and Pollution Prevention Manager at Hampton Roads Sanitation District in a letter to recipients.“It allows HRSD to meet its promise to treat wastewater … to protect public health and the environment.”

HRSD collects wastewater samples from dozens of monitoring stations along 500 miles of sewer lines large and small, crisscrossing 20 cities and counties in its service area. The agency processes up to 225 million gallons of sewage every day. HRSD cites 108 pre-treatment, and three Pollution Prevention awards issued for calendar year 2024, including the awards to Sentara hospitals.

“It is with great pleasure that we can recognize and honor your achievements,” Kilgore wrote.